Chapter Text
“Vex!”
The name tore from her throat as she watched Vex’s body hit the floor. Unmoving. Keyleth’s body refused to move as her eyes darted over the body, her mouth trying to form anything coherent. The world buzzed around her, the noise incomprehensible. There was a yell behind her and a flash of white, then grey, that rushed past her. Then, a rush of purple and finally a rush of black. They all swarmed the light blue on the ground.
Keyleth turned her head as she watched two more flashes. Red then browns rush to the light blue as well. After some time the red grew larger and then began moving towards Keyleth. Keyleth shook her head and her body responded by taking a half step away. The red stopped in its approach, hovering just in front of her.
“-leth?” Keyleth’s eyes focused on Zahra’s face for a mere moment.
“Take me instead you raven bitch!” Vax’s voice pierced the maelstrom Keyleth couldn't make sense of. Keyleth felt energy like she’d never felt before. She thought her insides were going to grind into paste. She felt it behind her and she whirled around to find the large feathered visage of the Matron of Ravens. She stopped as Keyleth turned and tilted her head, making a sound Keyleth had never heard before and would never hear again. There were no words, no language, but the message was clear.
“Voice of the Tempest.” It felt almost respectful.
Almost.
Then Keyleth watched her pull a golden thread from her chest and inspect it like one does an anomaly in an experiment. No anger, no pride, just unadulterated surprise. She let the thread go and Keyleth watched it flow from her body and into the blue blur of color on the floor. Keyleth watched Vax back away from the Raven Queen as she veered towards him. Keyleth felt hands on her shoulders shaking her, and Keyleth’s breathing became rapid. She could only stare as The Raven Queen took her finger and found Vax’s thread much like she had her own, pulling it.
However, her finger didn’t prod curiously, it pulled the thread taut. This horrible straining sound grated against her ears as the thread is pulled even tighter before it shatters. The remnants of Vax’s cord falls and fades into his chest, the rest of it going back to the blue blur on the ground. The Raven Queen turned to look at Vax once more and he took another step back. She tilted her head and then began walking back toward Keyleth.
Keyleth began shaking as the Raven Queen's steps carried her closer. Keyleth thought she might throw up or that her bones may puncture through her skin with how violently her body shook. The Raven Queen slowed her gait as she approached Keyleth, looking her over again. Her head tilted and she took her finger to Keyleth’s thread once more, producing it from her chest. Keyleth wanted nothing more than to grab it and shove it back inside her, fearing whatever happened to Vax would happen to her. The Raven Queen took her finger and almost strummed the string like a lyre. Its sound was otherworldly and Keyleth didn’t and still doesn’t know how to begin to describe it. The Raven Queen almost seemed to hum before looking at Keyleth once more and continuing to walk past her.
The sound around her sped up, almost tripping over itself. Keyleth felt her stomach drop as she turned and threw up. Someone was behind her grabbing her hair as the sound in the room slowly began to become audible. She vomited until it was just stomach acid and then once more until she was just dry heaving.
“-the fuck is going on?” Keyleth can hear from beside her, and Keyleth tried shaking her head to rid the blurring of sound. She wiped her mouth and stood on unsteady legs, looking behind her to find Zahra regarding her curiously. She looked past Zahra, clocking the group of people on the floor around Vex’s now alive body. She looked at Vax hugging her and crying into her shoulder. Her eyes darkened as she spotted Percy standing behind them all and felt her nails dig into her palm.
This is his fault. He did this. How could he do this to them? To her? He should never have been so careless. How could he not have-
Then she saw the guilt in his features. This is her best friend. This is Percy. Percy’s eyes rose to catch hers, and she saw the guilt that washes through them because he knew. He knew he had fucked up. He knew why this hurt her so immensely. His eyes were full of guilt and her anger softened as she looked at him.
“Love, I need you to talk to me. Can you do that, Keyleth? What the fuck happened?” Keyleth’s thoughts cut off as she found Zahra’s eyes, her hand on her shoulder grounding her.
“Did you not see her?” Keyleth asked incredulously. Zahra just stared at her.
“Did you hit your head or are you naturally this way?” Keyleth wanted to laugh at it but the feeling in her gut was still washing away with the presence of the Raven Queen. Keyleth shook her head instead.
“Nevermind.” Keyleth made to move but Zahra’s hand tightened on her shoulder.
“Who?” Zahra asked, eyes never leaving Keyleth. Keyleth startled and looked back into Zahra’s eyes, holding the intensity of her gaze.
“The Raven Queen.” Zahra’s eyes widened and she shook her head darkly.
“No. That’s all you, love,” Zahra said but it was somber and had no teasing lilt. They stared at each other for a moment longer before Vex’s voice cut through the din.
“What happened?” She asked, turning to look at the others around her.
“You fucking died,” Grog stated with immense tact, earning a swat from Pike.
“Grog!”
“What?”
Keyleth looked at Vex on the ground, staring at her as she breathed and laughed. As Trinket nudged her and licked her face. Keyleth wanted to smile, to be glad that whatever Vax did brought her back, but all she could see was the way her body hit the floor and the sound of the string being snapped. The sound the Raven Queen made when she regarded Keyleth and used a title she had yet to earn. Keyleth’s hands began to shake as she stared unseeingly at Vex.
The way the Raven Queen said nothing. The fact that she took something, she did something. Vex was here and Keyleth didn’t miss the fact that Pike’s voice pointed out Vax was wearing the vestige.
Something was being pressed into her hand and she jolted at it. She looked at Zahra holding eye contact with her and pressing her staff, that had fallen some time ago, into her hand
“Keep it together. Let’s talk later.” Keyleth found herself nodding and her eyes hardening as she held Zahra’s gaze. She gripped her staff hard.
Zahra turned in a flourish and walked to the rest still on the ground, and Keyleth saw Vex looking at where she and Zahra had been talking. Keyleth looked away. She couldn’t look at her. Not when all she could see at the moment was her body hitting the floor, the light gone from her hazel eyes. Keyleth found Percy’s eye instead, and Percy almost seemed to ask her something before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath in.
Keep it together.
They all began to leave the room with Vex alive and in tow but as they reached the door, something in Keyleth felt a pull behind her. Her eyes instinctually found the statue of the Raven Queen as she turned. Black feathers fell around the statue and Keyleth’s stomach roiled. She watched the head of the statue tilt and and the eyes found hers. There was no sound this time but an indescribable feeling. A message conveyed once more through feeling alone.
“Watching you .”
Keyleth’s grip on her staff tightened and she felt a surge of fire through her.
Is this a game to her? Are all mortals just a game? There was a gamble for a trade of lives and it was nothing for her to give and take them as she pleased, indifferent to something so monumental. What right does she have to watch Keyleth like some pawn on a board? What sick-
“Keyleth.” Her name cut through the rushing thoughts, and she turned to see Zahra standing in the doorway, looking at her with an expression Keyleth couldn't read. Keyleth shook her head.
“Sorry, I’m coming.” Her voice is dulled with the edges of this place. What it took from Vax. What it took from Vex. What it took form Keyleth. Zahra waited until Keyleth was beside her before joining her as they caught up to the rest. Vex was looking down the hallway for them as was Percy, while the rest chatted about the new vestige and how to get out of the tomb. Vex tried to catch Keyleth’s eyes but Keyleth wouldn't let her.
-
Keyleth used her hand to shield her eyes as they stepped from the tomb and upon the surface once again. The evening sun casting its rays through the forest around them. It wouldn’t be long before the sun began to set, so making it back to town would have to wait until tomorrow.
The shiver from the body beside her caused Keyleth to turn to look at Vex.
“It’s freezing out here,” Vex commented with mild irritation. Keyleth looked at her sideways, noting it’s not really all that cold at all. Not by comparison to some of the other places that Vox Machina had been that had been far colder. None of which had caused Vex to shiver like that. Keyleth raised her palm and produced a flame that could float on its own and moved it over towards Vex. Vex looked at her in surprise at the sudden warmth, then the furrow of her brow softened as she smiled at Keyleth.
“Thank you, darling.” Keyleth attempted the best smile she could and nodded her head at Vex, not confident in her ability to speak yet. Vex opened her mouth to say something else, but her attention is directed to her other side as Vax appears draping his own cloak over her shoulders. Keyleth watched the two of them talk as the group began to head further into the forest toward town. Grog and Scanlan took the front with Percy and Pike not far behind. Vax, Vex, Kash and Keyleth were next but before Keyleth could join beside Vex, she felt a hand grab her wrist.
Keyleth turned to find Zahra staring at her, and Keyleth stopped pulling in the other direction. Zahra gave her a look before nodding her head behind Vex, Vax, and Kash. Keyleth took a deep breath and nodded at Zahra. She fell in line with the woman letting Vax, Vex, and Kash take up the third row while Zahra and Keyleth took up the back.
Zahra and Keyleth walked in silence for a few moments, letting the group get farther away from them as they slowed their gait to let their conversation be private. Keyleth’s nerves were frayed at the end and this unspoken conversation wasn’t helping but she knew Zahra wouldn’t let her off without having it.
“What the fuck happened in that tomb, love?” Zahra asked and Keyleth turned to find Zahra looking at her. It’s not exasperated like she thought it would be. Curious. Cautious. Perhaps even a hint of concern.
“She was there, Zahra. I saw her. She-” Keyleth stopped herself, searching Zahra’s eyes for something. What, Keyleth wasn’t even sure she knew herself. Zahra nodded at her and Keyleth took a deep breath.
“She pulled some kind of cord from me. I don’t know what it was but it felt… important. She did something, I don’t know what but after Vax made his offer something changed. The feeling of her looking at me, into me, it- I- The sound she made as she looked at me Zahra-” Keyleth looked back to Zahra’s eyes where she had looked away in the cascade of her words. Keyleth was more certain in the concern she saw in Zahra’s eyes. It wasn’t immense or all encompassing but it was still there. Keyleth held her eye contact for several footfalls until she looked away harshly and her eyebrows scrunched in anger.
“She made whatever deal she did for lives like it was nothing Zahra. Like we are just- The complete lack of all feeling. Of any regard for- We’re nothing to them. All of them. It was like she knew how precious that cord was and she enjoyed toying with mine in her hands. I wanted to rip my cord from her but it was like if I moved, my body would have just been ground to nothing.” Keyleth confessed and she was quiet for a moment longer, the taste of anger thick on her tongue and it was intoxicating.
“We’re nothing but a fucking game to them. A game I will never play with her,” Keyleth stated darkly and Zahra’s eyes held her own for a long moment. Keyleth doesn't know what she was looking for but she didn't really care. Keyleth glanced away from her after that, looking ahead towards their band of friends. She caught Vex looking over her shoulder, looking at them. Keyleth looked away from her and back to Zahra as Keyleth heard her take a deep breath beside her.
“Be careful, Keyleth. I’ll admit I think I had you pegged wrong, love.” Keyleth tilted her head as she looked at Zahra, not sure what the woman meant. Zahra nodded her head towards the rest of them.
“Keep an eye on Vex’ahlia, will you?” Keyleth looked back towards Vex where she was walking beside Vax and Kash. Her eyes caught on the fact that Vex was breathing and laughing once more.
“Yeah.” Keyleth began to lengthen her stride but a hand caught her wrist.
“I’m serious, Keyleth. Be careful. Getting energy or power from something greater than you is as intoxicating as it is dangerous. You may not have a god or patron, but your anger serves as one well enough it seems. Don’t lose to it.” Keyleth looked at Zahra then, really looked at her. Something passed between them then that would continue to be something they talked of in the future. Some understanding that was hard to express. Keyleth nodded and Zahra met her stride at that, allowing them to close the gap but still take up the rear.
-
The sun was setting when they finally decided to call it a day. Finding a small clearing as they decided who had what task for the night. As Pike was divvying up tasks among them, Keyleth caught Vax dragging Percy off further into the woods. Keyleth deliberated for a moment before pivoting on her heel and following after them.
“What the fuck Percival?!” Vax asked, shoving the man in front of him.
“Vax’ildan, I’m so sorry. If I had known something of that nature would have transpired I never would have touched-”
“You fucking idiot! She died Percival! You were careless because of your stupid curiosity and it fucking killed my sister!”
“Vax I am-”
“Vax.” Percy and Vax both turned toward Keyleth’s voice with a jolt and Keyleth wondered if they had even noticed that they had been followed in the first place.
“Keyleth… He did though! You can’t tell me not to be angry about my sister fucking dying!” Keyleth stepped forward so she was in front of Vax and Percy was to her right.
“I’m not saying you’re not allowed to be upset, Vax-”
“Are you defending him!?”
“Vax’ildan-”
“Yes! I am! He’s my best friend and I was angry at him too!” Vax and Percy both stopped for a moment as Keyleth yelled at Vax. Keyleth felt the bubbling of her emotions begging for release.
“Then you don’t care about her like I do! Neither of you! He was careless and Vex fucking died for it!”
“You’ve been even more careless than that before! You got yourself taken by the Brairwoods and we had to fight you, Vax! We’ve ALL been careless before and it didn’t end in someone’s death! We had no idea that coffin would do that! None of us did, Vax.” Keyleth let the anger lace her words.
“I would never have meant to hurt any of you-,” Percy began and Keyleth only had a moment to register the glint in Vax’s eye as he turned to face Percy. Keyleth watched the arm raise, the fist tighten, and letting instinct guide her she put herself in between Vax and Percy. She saw the anger flood to panic in Vax’s eyes as he realized what she’d done.
The crack was so audible in the air around them that it silenced even the forest. The tension in the air was charged as Keyleth felt the absolute white hot pain radiating from her nose, lip, and eye. The warm liquid cascaded over her lips as it poured from her nose and stained her teeth.
“Keyleth- I’m so-” Vax began.
“Stop.” Keyleth’s voice was short and curt. She brought her hand to nose and mouth and wiped it, slinging her hand afterwards to fling the blood over the ground around them. She felt more than saw Percy shift toward her and she took a step away from both of them.
“Keyleth, w-wait-” Keyleth’s eyes cut to Vax as he began to walk toward her and whatever he saw in her eyes caused him to stop in his tracks. Keyleth touched her nose and winced. She turned to face Percy and couldn’t stand the guilt she found there. She turned away from both of them and began walking further into the woods, away from camp and away from them. She heard footsteps behind her and she gritted her teeth.
“Don’t follow me, Percy.” The footsteps stopped behind her and she continued toward the river she knew was not far from where they were. The pain from her broken nose and busted lip fueling every step she took.